Google’s Unfair Practices Led To Dominance, Says Microsoft CEO

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has stated that unfair tactics used by Google led to its dominance as a search engine, tactics that, in turn, have hindered his company's rival program, Bing, according to a report by Suman Naishadham for the Associated Press (AP).

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella testified in a packed Washington, D.C., courtroom as part of the government's landmark antitrust trial against Google's parent company, Alphabet. I Photo: Microsoft News

Nadella testified in a packed Washington, D.C., courtroom as part of the government's landmark antitrust trial against Google's parent company, Alphabet.

The Justice Department alleges that Google has abused the dominance of its ubiquitous search engine to stifle competition and innovation at the expense of consumers, allegations that resemble a similar case brought against Microsoft in the late 1990s.

Nadella said Google's dominance was a result of agreements that made it the default browser on smartphones and computers.

He downplayed the idea that artificial intelligence (AI) or more niche search engines like Amazon or social media sites have significantly changed the market in which Microsoft competes with Google.

Nadella pointed out that users fundamentally don't have much choice when it comes to switching away from default web browsers on cell phones and computers. "We are one of the alternatives, but we're not the default," he said.

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